A lawmaker notes that European countries are hostage to their own humanitarian approaches

MOSCOW, July 25. /TASS/. Immigration policy in Europe, in particular in France, should become more selective, chairman of Russian Federation Council’s International Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev said in an interview published in the Izvestiya newspaper on Monday.

"It is obvious that it should be more selective," Kosachev said adding that European countries "are hostage to their own humanitarian or humanistic approaches."

"These approaches arise sincere respect because Europeans are really trying to help those who needs it," the lawmaker said. "It is obvious though that a growing number of people are taking advantage of European humanism as they are not threatened but rather want to just improve their social, economic, political or any other life conditions," he added.

France "has eliminated the notion of national minorities back in the times of Napoleon," he reminded. It became one of only four Council of Europe member countries that joined the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

"Just like for US, for France it is a ‘melting pot’ - everybody who comes is French. It sound great - national unity, no discrimination against anyone. But this does not work," the lawmaker stressed adding that "people do not turn French in one moment, right after they got the French passport or permanent residence."

France is making a mistake in its migration policy by refusing to follow the Russian and common European experience, he went on. "Instruments can be different. Sometimes they should be more delicate, sometimes - tougher. But they should be modified," Kosachev concluded.